The Brownsville
schools
STAFF REPORT Less than one week remains before the start of the 2026 Texas high school football regular season, with games officially set for Aug. 27. As the first kickoff of the year draws closer, we continue our countdown with our annual preseason Top 30 players list, featuring...
business
M any Rio Grande Valley residents welcomed news of a planned desalination plant that will produce up to 100 million gallons of drinking water for this critically dry region. Some, however now are expressing concerns that the plant will be operated by a private company. Such worri...
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — DHR Health presented a conference at South Padre Island on Friday about outdoor medical emergencies. The conference welcomed Rio Grande Valley health care leaders and guest speakers, including keynote speaker Tabatha Sullivent, the North Texas w...
Local
MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Fentanyl deaths may be declining nationwide, but the Drug Enforcement Administration says the threat remains a serious concern in the Rio Grande Valley. On Fentanyl Awareness Day, the DEA’s McAllen District Office is warning families about the dan...
government
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Saturday keeps the heat cranked up across the Valley, with most spots landing between 100 and 102 degrees. Western areas, especially near Starr County, will once again push toward 107 degrees, keeping that familiar sizzle alive. These temperatur...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The City of Mercedes has appointed Fire Chief Javier Campos Jr. as Interim City Manager. The appointment follows the resignation of manager Alberto Perez, who stepped down on Aug. 14. According to the city of Mercedes, Campos has built his caree...
space
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Chick-fil-A is expected to launch a limited-time fall menu item starting Monday at Rio Grande Valley locations. The new items include a regular and spicy chicken or waffles sandwich, along with a s’more milkshake and s’mores frosted coffee. Loca...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — South Texas Health System honored three Edinburg Police Officers with its Hometown Heroes Awards, following their life-saving actions. On March 24, 2026, Edinburg officers responded to a call involving an unconscious two-year-old child who was p...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Sea Turtle Inc. invites the community to its annual 5K to raise money for the nonprofit and its mission of sea turtle rescue, care, and protection. The Kemp's Krawl Glow Run is a family-friendly LED-themed run on the shore where people and pets...
schools
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Faulk Middle School in Brownsville was recognized by the Tigres del Norte after receiving an A-Rating for overall campus performance from the Texas Education Agency. According to the TEA 2026 accountability results, Faulk Middle School scored a ...
business
Building a brighter future can start with a dream, a home and the right resources. The Brownsville Public Library System is inviting residents to learn about opportunities that can help turn those dreams into reality....
government
B ROWNSVILLE — Federal officials joined local leaders Thursday to announce Brownsville as one of four cities chosen to develop and pilot programs aimed at improving children’s health. Mayor John Cowen Jr. led a lineup of speakers who gathered at The Mitte to announce that Brownsv...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The San Juan Police Department is investigating a multi-vehicle crash that occurred on the expressway Friday afternoon, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The crash occurred near the westbound Raul Longoria Road exit. At least ...
space
A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Starlink 15-20 mission on Aug. 22, 2026. Image: SpaceX Update Aug. 22, 3:51 a.m. EDT (0751 UTC): SpaceX landed the first stage booster on the droneship. SpaceX launched its 100th or...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — La Grulla city officials announced Friday that the city has activated Stage 5 emergency water conservation measures and are asking residents to discontinue nonessential water use until further notice. According to the mayor's emergency order iss...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — It's going to be another hot and humid day for the Valley. It will feel even warmer due to the heat index values. The heat risk will range from a moderate to an extreme level in some areas. If you're going to be outdoors today, make sure to stay...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A 19-year-old Mexican man pleaded guilty to his role in a fatal human smuggling attempt in Laredo, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas. Gerardo David Zarate Martinez admitted he participated in ...
Local
C ould the Rio Grande Valley get some much needed relief from the heat in the coming days? No. The National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande office said that Valley residents can anticipate more triple-digit weather throughout the week. “Basically, it’s still going to remai...
border
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine hidden within a shipment of laundry detergent at the Roma International Bridge. The seizure happened Aug. 11 when an officer referred a 2012 tractor-trai...
schools
A spokesman for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has confirmed that the university is considering the Madeira master-planned residential community in north Brownsville for the site of a new engineering education facility. Patrick Gonzalez, UTRGV vice president for market...
Local
Brownsville residents are encouraged to take precautions today as a combination of high temperatures and humidity is expected to create potentially dangerous heat conditions across the area....
safety
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new information from the Harlingen Police Department. HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Lamar Elementary was evacuated after a fire alarm was activated Friday morning, according to a spokesperson for the Harlingen Consolidated In...
schools
STAFF REPORT Less than one week remains before the start of the 2026 Texas high school football regular season, with games officially set for Aug. 27. As the first kickoff of the year draws closer, we continue our countdown with our annual preseason Top 30 players list, featuring...
business
STAFF REPORT EDITOR’S NOTE: Coaches, please send corrections or results to ivan@themonitor.com. MISSION “FLY LIKE AN EAGLE” INVITATIONAL Anzaldua Park Mission, TX BOYS 5K INDIVIDUAL 1. Alexander Nava, Weslaco East, 15:43.2; 2. Derrick Mendoza, McAllen High, 16:00.8; 3. Kai Sepulv...
business
STAFF REPORT EDITOR’S NOTE: The list below features times reported to Texas Milesplit or to our staff. Please send any updates or corrections to ivan@themonitor.com. Weslaco East’s Alexander Nava receives a high five as he races to the finish line during the McHi Friday Night Lig...
Local
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Sky watchers across the Rio Grande Valley will have a good reason to look up next Thursday night, with a partial lunar eclipse. The eclipse begins at 8:23 p.m., with the partial phase starting around 9:33 p.m. Maximum eclipse happens at 11:12 p...
space
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the launch of four Great Health for America pilot programs nationwide. The city of Brownsville is one of the four cities selected to launch the program aimed at preventing chronic disea...
space
STARBASE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Starbase Police Department is preparing for launch. Starbase began soliciting applications for two police sergeants and six officers in August. They will report to police Chief Glenn Bennett, who accepted the job in June. “I’m confident we’ll...
schools
PORT ISABEL, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Port Isabel father says he never imagined he would be afraid to leave his own home. Now, he says his family is considering leaving the country after what he describes as a frightening encounter involving an unmarked vehicle near his children...
business
The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) received four 2026 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)....
government
Special to the PRESS BROWNSVILLE—U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez recognized longtime South Texas public servant John Wood for more than five decades of civic leadership and public service, presenting him with a Congressional Record honoring his contributions to Brownsville and Cameron...
business
(Port Isabel QB Grayson Estes rolls out for a pass versus BSJA. Aug. 13, 2026. Photo by Constancio Martinez Jr) By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR. Special to the PRESS On Thursday, Aug. 13, the Port Isabel ECHS football team traveled to Brownsville to scrimmage the St. Joseph Academy Bl...
business
By Laurie Coker South Padre Island has a new restaurant worth checking out. Ayy Miguel, conveniently located at 2213 Padre Blvd., comes from the same owners behind White Sands and White Sands Bakery, and after two visits, I can say the food has been consistently delicious, served...
government
By DIANTÉ MARIGNY editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com South Padre Island City Council members addressed the proposed tax rate, employee compensation, Island Gateway improvements and ecotourism initiatives during their Aug. 5 regular meeting. Council members approved Resolution No. 20...
government
Special to the PRESS South Padre Island voters will have an opportunity to hear directly from candidates seeking the Place 1 City Council seat during a candidate forum next month. The South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce will host the City Council Special Election Candidate For...
government
By JACQI LEYVA-HILL Special to the PRESS The Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District Board of Commissioners considered a proposed system for collecting contaminated water from boats to address a need raised by a tenant, renewed its windstorm insurance and received updates on d...
business
Moments in Time is a collection of recovered newspaper briefs and other publications, compiled by local historian, Steve Hathcock, offering a look back at the history of the Rio Grande Valley. Steve Hathcock is a local historian and a regular columnist for the Port Isabel South P...
schools
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott highlighted the Pharr-San-Juan-Alamo Independent School District in a recent discussion about excellence in education and top-performing schools across Texas. Abbott held a conference on Tuesday with state leaders abo...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Maternity Center at South Texas Health System is inviting expectant mothers to its 4th annual Baby Bump & Beyond Expo. The free event will take place Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at STHS Edinburg, located at 1102 W. Trenton Road...
schools
Bryan Ramos | Staff Writer EDINBURG — The countdown to Year 2 of UTRGV Vaqueros football has officially hit single digits as we conclude our RGVSports.com position room breakdowns with a two-for-one special, hitting the quarterback and tight end rooms. Both positions were questio...
schools
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Employees of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District will receive a pay raise for the upcoming school year. The pay raise is part of the district's compensation plan, which was approved on Monday by the PSJA ISD Board of Trustees. T...
government
City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez, Mayor Norma Sepulveda and Commissioner Michael Mezmar are seen during a regular meeting Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Harlingen. (Courtesy photo) H ARLINGEN — The city is extending its moratorium on data center projects as an engineering firm studies ...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The husband of a former employee accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a Harlingen cancer treatment center turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday, according to the Harlingen Police Department. Police say a bank account belonging to ...
Local
MISSION — Sharyland Pioneer finished the 2025 season as the top team in the Rio Grande Valley after winning a District 31-5A title and making it to the third round of the playoffs. The Diamondbacks ended up graduating half of their roster. However, the players they retained and t...
Local
Brownsville will serve as one of four communities nationwide selected for a new federal initiative aimed at improving child health, strengthening nutrition and preventing pediatric chronic disease through locally driven solutions....
space
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Donna Independent School District has partnered with South Texas College and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to launch a new dual credit program for seniors. The Basic County Corrections Academy will provide up to 20 students from Do...
safety
T wo additional people have been arrested in connection to the Chinese national who defrauded a woman in the Rio Grande Valley. Yuchen Wang and Xi Zhou, who are residents of Los Angeles, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud after Kang Ye was arrested at the Falfurrias...
schools
Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout. HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An 8-year-old student brought a gun to Aiken Elementary School on Wednesday, according to the Brownsville Independent School District. The gun belonged to the student's 27-year-old mother, w...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — High pressure, that's stubbornly not breaking down anytime soon, is in full force across the Four Corners, keeping the Valley sunny, rain-free and hot! This is what Meteorologist Lexie Walker and Forecaster Craig Verley talked about in this week...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) —It Takes A Village is a weekly ValleyCentral+ series that covers all things parenting; from real, honest conversations about daily routines and challenges to funny moments, lessons learned and balancing work and family life. August is National Br...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Police Department is issuing an alert after seeing an increase in Jeep thefts. The department says thefts are increasing for newer-model Jeep Gladiators and Jeep Wranglers. Police advise Jeep owners to take extra precautions, suc...
safety
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The tractor-trailer driver involved in an Alamo expressway crash in June has been cleared of charges after a Hidalgo County grand jury declined to indict him, according to District Attorney Toribio "Terry" Palacios. There wasn't enough evidence ...
safety
Editor's note: This story has been updated. HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Public Safety is searching for a driver accused of being involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash that occurred early Thursday morning north of Elsa. The crash occurred at approxi...
schools
IVAN PALACIOS | STAFF WRITER EDITOR’S NOTE: This story continues our position-by-position look at the top returning high school football players in the Rio Grande Valley. Follow the series in the coming weeks as we count down to the release of our annual Top 30 players list. The ...
business
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Struggling across parched earth, this trio of young alligators marches toward a remnant of receding wetlands. Throughout South Texas wildlands, ephemeral wetlands are steadily vanishing as relentless drought prevails. This tepid pool provides te...
News
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The ugly combination of higher temperatures and humidity will continue to make anything outdoors a bit challenging Thursday and the next several days. Heat index values will approach 110 in some areas of the Valley this afternoon. That leads to ...
government
STAFF REPORT Check out the first RGVSports.com Top 10 volleyball rankings of the season as voted on by our staff. The post RGVSports.com Volleyball Top 10 Rankings (08/20/26) appeared first on MyRGV.com ....
space
A SpaceX Falcon 9 soars past the clouds above Florida’s Space Coast during the Starlink 10-39 mission on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Update Aug. 21, 11:54 a.m. EDT (1554 UTC): SpaceX landed its first stage booster Update Aug. 20, 11:58 a.m. EDT (155...
space
STARBASE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The city of Starbase plans to approve a 46% property tax hike in September. Mayor Robert “Bobby” Peden and the City Commission discussed the tax hike during a meeting on Wednesday night. “My opinion is that we should move forward with this,” Pede...
